ABSTRACT
The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of Citrullus lanatus (water melon) seed on the liver of ethanol treated adult Wistar rats. Twenty Five number of Wistar albino rats were grouped, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Group 1 and 2 (Negative Control group and Positive control group respectively) received 2ml/kg body weight with distilled water for eight days and 20ml/kg body weight of 40% ethanol on day eight, respectively. Group 3 and 4 received the extract 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg body weight for seven days, followed by 20ml/kg body weight of 40% ethanol on day eight. Group 5 received silymarin 100mg/kg body weight for seven days, followed by 20ml/kg body weight of 40% ethanol on day eight. All administration was once daily by oral gavage. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected for serum analysis for levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and Alkaline phoaphatate (ALP). Hepatic tissues were collected for analysis of protein concentration of the liver, while the histopathology of the liver was assessed using Haematoxylin and Eosin stain, histochemically using periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) stain detects glycogen, Feulgen stain detects DNA and Masson's Trichrome stain detect collagen fibres. Results obtained showed that C.lanatus seed extract did not affect weight gain or hepatic index, although the ethanol treated group showed decrease in weight gain and an increase in hepatic index. Treatment with C.lanatus seed extract decreased AST, ALT, ALP serum levels, and protein concentration in the liver, which was increased due to ethanol ingestion. From histopathological studies, ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity was characterized by hepatocytes degeneration, depletion in the pattern of glycogen storage in the cytoplasm of the liver hepatocytes, distortion in the presentation pattern of DNA materials in the liver hepatocytes and decrease in the distribution of collagen fibres in the liver parenchyma. Thus the study demonstrates that Aqueous extract of C.lanatus seed possess hepatoprotective effect against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity.